Hinesville brothers Keaton and Cameron Eason placed first and fourth respectively in the Georgia/Florida motocross series which ended in Alma last week.
The motocross dirt bike racing series pits competitors in a series of races which started in October. The racers participate in different tracks located in Florida and Georgia and points are accumulated to establish an overall winner.
According to results posted on www.flgaracing.com, Keaton Eason, 9, took first place with 153 points. Although Eason tied in points with another racer, his three first place finishes in the first portion of the series gave him the edge. Eason competed in
the 50cc class 7-9 age division.
His younger brother Cameron, 5, placed fourth with an total of 108 points in the 50cc class 4-6 age division, according to the website.
Both boys are students at First Presbyterian Christian Academy.
"Keaton was playing soccer until motocross. After motocross soccer is nothing," said Becky Eason, the boys’ mother. "Keaton is an A to B honor roll student and he keeps his grades up, even training three days a week for up to three hours per session. He is just a good kid and I’m just so happy for him. I was so excited for him and really proud of him. I was shaking the whole time."
Becky Eason said the boys got started in the sport about two years ago when their father, Chris Eason, owner of Mr. Cash in Midway, bought their oldest son a dirt bike.
"Once we got started, my husband started getting on the internet," mom said. "And we found it (racing series information). And we went, raced in a race and Keaton won. We haven’t stopped since."
The boys are sponsored by Space Sports Cycles in Cape Canaveral, Fla. According to mom they practice in Daisy, Ga., with trainer Alvin Lopez. Occasionally they go to Florida with their trainer and train on different terrain tracks there.
She said it’s an expensive sport which requires two dirt bikes per racer and several pieces of safety equipment. The bikes alone are $4,500 each and helmets and neck gear add up to almost another $1,000 per child.
But mom said the cost is worthwhile because the boys are having fun and both want to make a career on the dirt track.
"They live, eat and breathe motocross," she said.
The sport does have its risks. Keaton Eason injured his knee halfway through the series.
"He tore his ACL, so for him to finish first overall with a knee injury was just amazing to me," she said. "When he injured his knee, I said ‘We are done, we are not doing motor cross.’ I told everyone ‘We are not doing this anymore I don’t want my kids to get hurt,’ but everyone I talked to would say ‘They can get hurt walking down the street Becky.’ They get hurt playing soccer; they are going to get hurt."
She said both boys normally ride wearing knee guards but Keaton now wears special knee braces recommended by his doctor. An upcoming series break should allow the older boy’s knee to further mend.
"We are going to take a break to let Keaton’s knee heal and get him back into training," she said. "He stopped training for about 2-3 weeks so we are going to let his knee completely heal and then we will put him back in training."
The brothers are considering a national race in Alabama or Oklahoma. The boys also have plans to join a series forming in Georgia where riders from the southern part of the state compete against north Georgia riders. In either event, it’s a step toward bigger and better things for the Hinesville brothers.
"We are going to move up to the national level of racing," mom said.